I Love You More
by Toboe LoneWolf
Summary: Kaiba bro fic. Every night at bedtime, Seto and Mokuba play a little game. It begins with the words, “I love you more…”


LoneWolf16: Yep. I first thought of Yami and Yugi first, but I thought some more and figured that Kaiba and Mokuba were more appropriate. Plus, I haven't written any Seto & Mokuba anyway; I want to try my hand at it. Yeah. Enough babbling now. One shot.

[Note: This fic was originally posted 8-19-04. For some unknown reason, removed it. (They called it 'improper rating.') I originally rated this "G" but due to this fic's removal and 's pointing of fingers, I have "rated" this fic "PG." However, I still believe that this fic is a "G" fic. For pete's sake, I can't write about the love within a family?!? Therefore, I have re-posted this fic under a higher rating because I believe that it should be out here. The text is absolutely the same except for a typo. The mere fact that you have decided to click on the link with the "fake" PG rating really touches me. I may not know who you are, but thanks for simply choosing to see what this fic's about. Alright, that's enough cutsey stuff.] 

Disclaimer: LoneWolf16 does not own YGO. Vaguely based on a song I heard recently, don't own.

****

I Love You More

Young Seto was running down the hallways, frantically searching for his brother. The headmistress of the orphanage was going to be really, really mad if he didn't find Mokuba soon--

Wait a second. He'd checked everywhere inside. Maybe Mokuba was outside…

Seto dashed out the doors to the playground. He quickly scanned the area. Not the swings. Perhaps the slide? Or maybe the bushes? Seto walked over to the end of the playground and peeked behind the slide.

"Mokie? Where are yoo--"

"WHHEEEE!!!" Mokuba leapt out from the bushes and tackled his big brother. They both fell to the ground, Mokuba squealing in laughter. "Gotcha!"

Seto groaned with mock pain. "Ow! Mokuba, it's time for us to go to bed. The headmistress is waiting for us."

"Awwww…" Mokuba whined.

Seto smiled. "Yeah, I know." He hugged Mokuba, and then took his hand. "Come on, Mokie. We have to go back inside."

"Piggy back ride! Piggy back ride!" Mokuba jumped up and down. "Please?" Huge chibi eyes.

Seto faltered, and then bent. "Alright."

He got on one knee and Mokuba clambered onto his back, hooking his arms around Seto's neck. Slowly Seto rose, fumbling a little.

It was quiet for a few seconds as they walked back to the orphanage, the two enjoying a moment of brotherhood. Then very solemnly, Mokuba said, "I love you more than ice cream."

This was almost like a tradition for them. It was kind of like a mini game. Every night they'd try to "one-up" on each other on just how much they loved each other.

Seto shifted his arms. "Oh yeah? I love you more than Pocky."

Mokuba giggled at the thought of anyone loving anything more than Pocky. Pocky was the ultimate sweet snack! It rules children with an iron fist of sugary love!

Mokuba cocked his head, thinking. "I love you more than airplanes."

Seto chuckled. Recently Mokuba had been fascinated with airplanes. A few days ago, Seto had gotten him a toy airplane. It was currently Mokuba's favorite toy. To say that he loved his brother more than airplanes? Well…

"I love you more than chess." Seto said, looking over his shoulder to glance at Mokuba.

Mokuba's eyes widened. Chess? That was all Seto ever played! And he was the best out of everyone in the orphanage. Mokuba's eyes shined. Wow…

"Really, ni-sama?"

Seto nodded, and promised to himself to always play a game of chess with Mokuba every day. "Really."

Silence again. Mokuba yawned, and gazed up into the night sky. The tiny stars twinkled and sparkled. "Seto, why do the stars shine like that?"

Seto looked up too. Everything was calm and peaceful, and he wished that it'd always stay that way. That they'd have a family again, with a mom and a dad. That one day, Mokuba could run around and be free and have no worries about the future. But until then, Seto had do all that.

He felt a smile come across his face. Yeah, one day they'd be free. " 'Cause I taught them."

Mokuba smiled, and snuggled against his elder brother. Mmmm. So safe… Yawning again, he fell asleep, secure in the fact that his big brother loved him more than anything, his big brother that taught the stars how to shine.

* * * * *

Time passed and years came and went. Seto did find a way to have a family again, but at a great cost. He took on the brunt of the pain so that his little brother could be free. But more than that, the caring heart his little brother loved hardened and grew cold.

Mokuba sat in his room, staring at an old photo. The one of him and Seto playing chess. The one where Seto smiled without reservations, without the fear of pain. He wished that Seto would smile like that again.

He set the photo down and thought. What could he do to bring the old Seto back? The old Seto who smiled and laughed, who would play a certain little game before bedtime…

* * * * *

Seto rubbed his head, staring at his laptop to the nether hours again. Ugh. Statistics. What fun. So many variables, so many possibilities, and he had to keep track of it all--

With tired eyes Seto looked down at the clock on the laptop. Eleven o' clock. Oh, shoot. It was way past Mokuba's bedtime, and if Seto knew anything about his little brother, Mokuba was _not_ in his room sleeping.

Seto sighed and closed his laptop. Stats can come later. It'd all change tomorrow anyway. He pushed back his leather chair and headed towards where Mokuba usually "hid" at this hour. Near the TV.

It was time for The Argument.

* * * * *

Mokuba giggled and hid behind the recliner. All part of the plan. So what if he was twelve and was supposed to be mature? His big brother needed some fun!

"Alright Mokuba." Seto stood in the doorway, staring right at the recliner. "It's time for you to go to b--"

"WHHEEEE!!!" Mokuba jumped from behind the recliner and grabbed his big brother's legs. Seto stumbled, and then tripped, Mokuba laughing his head off. "Yea Seto!"

Seto looked incredulously. "What was that for?" He rubbed his head. "Never mind. Mokuba, it's time for you to go to bed."

Mokuba's eyes went wide, and Seto inwardly winced. Mokuba had gotten his hands on sugar again…

__

Huge chibi eyes. "Really?"

Seto blessed the years of experience that now gave him immunity to the kawaii eyes. "Yes, Mokuba. No getting around it."

__

Teary chibi eyes. "Why?"

Seto rolled his own eyes. "Mokuba, you're thirteen! You should know by now!" He got up, and picked up Mokuba. "There. No getting away this time."

Mokuba scrambled around until he sat on top of Seto's shoulders, just like how they used to when they were at the orphanage. Seto just stood there, stunned. What was heck was Mokuba doing?

"There." Mokuba laughed, and hugged Seto's head. "Just like the old days."

Seto nodded dubiously. Right. He tentatively put his hands on Mokuba's feet to keep him from falling off. Looking up to make sure this was indeed, his younger brother, Seto began to walk up the stairs.

With all the seriousness of a hyperactive thirteen year old, Mokuba said, "I love you more than sugar."

Seto blinked. What the?

"Come on, Seto!" Mokuba wiggled his legs. "Play our little game!"

"Er…" Seto frowned as he thought. This was so old… "I love you more than…statistics."

Mokuba wrinkled his nose. Statistics?!? "Awww Seto, that's nothing. I love you more than motorcycles."

They reached the top of the stairs. Seto walked over to the bathroom and set down Mokuba, muttering, "You've been hanging around Malik too much."

Mokuba laughed. "But it's so much fun! You should try it instead of the limo you always take. The wind blowing in your face and the road so close to your feet--"

Seto pushed Mokuba inside the bathroom. "Go brush your teeth." He raised an eyebrow. "With all that sugar I bet you ate, you'd better."

Mokuba stuck out his tongue --which was blue-- and trotted to the sink to brush his teeth. Seto rubbed his head. Mokuba hadn't only eaten sugar, he'd eaten _pixie stix _sugar…

When Mokuba was done, Seto led the still bouncy kid to his room. Mokuba looked up at the frowning Seto. "Ni-sama, you haven't finished the game yet…"

"Isn't that a little old?" Seto said as he turned off the lights and Mokuba crawled into bed. Mokuba pouted, and Seto shook his head. He walked over to Mokuba's bed and sat down. This may take a while. "Alright. I love you more than…my computer."

Mokuba laughed. Seto had a love/hate relationship with his computer. At some times everything would be going well, and Seto would actually joke around. But on other times, when the computer was being sarcastic, Seto would be seriously annoyed…

Mokuba looked up. "I love you more than Capsule Monsters."

Seto thought. They hadn't played this game since-- well, since they were adopted by Gozaburo. They'd never had the time, or the privacy. Quite frankly, Seto had practically forgotten about this game. Times had changed though-- he couldn't say the things he would have said. Indeed, what could he say? What could he say that would be true? Just how much did he love his little brother?

Seto closed his eyes. "I love you more than the Blue Eyes White Dragon."

"Really?" Mokuba breathed. "More than--"

"I do."

"You're not joking?"

"Mokuba, I love you more than…anything."

Pause. "Sometimes, ni-sama, you don't always…show it."

Seto turned his head away. "I know. But…Mokuba, I'm just looking out for you. I'm not the well, gentlest person around--" Mokuba smiled a little at this "--but I don't want you to go through what I did."

"With Gozaburo?"

"…Yes."

Silence.

Mokuba sat up and hugged his brother tightly. "Seto, you've always taken care of me. But sometimes, you need someone to take care of you. I'm your brother! And I'm not a little kid anymore, even if I do dip into the sugar once in a while." Seto chuckled at that. Mokuba squeezed his arms in response and then continued. "We're brothers, and that's final. And brothers always take care of each other. Alright?"

Seto cupped his hands over Mokuba's. "Right."

They sat there, enjoying a moment of brotherhood. It was nice for once, to just relax and not have to do anything.

Seto turned around and looked at Mokuba. The little kid was falling asleep, resting his head against Seto's back. Gently Seto lowered his little brother back onto the bed, and moved to get up.

Mokuba's eyes fluttered. "I love you more than the sun."

Seto felt a rare smile begin to form on his face. "And I love you more than the moon." He got up, and felt a small hand clutch his.

"Ni-sama, I'll love you today and tomorrow. I'll love you forever."

Seto's smile was full now, just like how it used to be. "I know."

Mokuba let his hand drop. Seto placed it back on the bed, and saw that Mokuba had already fallen asleep. Quietly, Seto walked away.

He stopped at the doorway and looked back, still smiling. He remembered something from a long time ago.

"Mokuba, I love you more than the stars I taught to shine."


End file.
